THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION OF PEROXYACETYL NITRATE AND REACTIONS OF ACETYL PEROXY-RADICALS WITH NO AND NO2 OVER THE TEMPERATURE-RANGE 283-313-K

The thermal decomposition of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in NO-NO2-air (or N2) mixtures has been studied at 740 Torr of total pressure over the temperature range 283-313 K. The experimental data obtained yield a rate constant k3 for the thermal decomposition of PAN of k3 = 2.52 x 10(16)e-13573/T s-1 and a rate constant ratio for the reactions of the CH3C(O)OO. radical with NO2 (k1) and NO (k2) of k2/k1 = 1.95 +/- 0.28, independent of temperature over the range 283-313 K. These data are compared and discussed with other literature data.